Tira Mira back to her best ahead of Cup tilt

By Jordan Gerrans

The Clifford Houston and Helen Sant training team always take outstanding care of their dogs when they are recovering from a minor injury.

But, when one of those greyhounds is the fastest bitch to ever run up the Capalaba grass straight, there might be a little extra ‘TLC’ involved.

The bitch in question is 2023 Capalaba Cup contender Tira Mira, who Houston and Sant have nursed back to racing strength at the perfect time.

The black bitch had her first effort under race conditions on Sunday afternoon since early March in a heat of the Cup and scorched the track in 19.52 seconds to qualify for the Group 2 decider.

The time was the quickest of the five heats contested. 

Experienced Burpengary-based conditioner Houston was still beaming a few days on from the heat performance, declaring he couldn’t have been happier with the run.

“We were absolutely thrilled,” Houston said.

“To do what she did, that was above our expectations.

“It gives us a lot of confidence with the program we have going forward. It has all worked out well for her.”

Tira Mira posted the quickest time ever on the grass for a bitch in 19.29 seconds in early December of last year.

That time was not far from the official track record.

Fernando Grand matched Leeroy Rogue’s seven-year-old track record of 19.22 seconds up the Capalaba straight last month.

Tira Mira finished third in last year’s edition of the Cup at Capalaba at just her 11th career race start. 

Just a few months ago it seemed a long shot that the bitch from a Zinzan Brooke and Kyella litter would be a chance to go a couple of slots better in 2023.

Tira Mira has accomplished plenty in her career despite only having 21 starts to her name.

She suffered a back muscle injury in a trial around the circle in March of this year.

The Houston and Sant combination took the approach of slow and steady with their kennel star.

“It has been a long hard road to get her back fit and get the back muscle going again,” the trainer said.

“We have taken our time with her as it has taken a fair while. It is just our personal way of looking after her, we did not want to rush her.

“It was our way of doing things, we had a plan and stuck to it and brought her along slowly.”

Sant summed up the period between March and October of this year with one word – patience.

Houston’s partner said they focussed on Tira Mira’s therapy while speaking to veterinarians around the best course of action to get her back near her best.

Tira Mira’s mating suggested she would be a determined straight track dog.

Zinzan Brooke was a Healesville Cup winner up the straight in 2017, which was run at Group 3 level, while he also claimed a Shepparton Cup and a number of other stakes Finals.

Kyella did her racing for Houston and while she only registered two career victories, the veteran trainer says she was full of ‘determination’.

“It is her determination, her mother was a determined bitch and she has got it all from her I think,” Houston said.

“It is pure bred determination, that is all it is.”

Sant agrees.

“She has a tendency to go flat out,” Sant said.

“She puts in every time she runs anywhere.”

Sant branded Tira Mira a ‘pure race bitch” and while the timing worked out nicely to have her back up and going in time for the Cup, the kennel never put any pressure on the recovering dog.

“We hoped she would be ready but time and patience was the essence,” Sant said.

“It fell into place and timed perfectly for her and for us.”

The 2023 Capalaba Cup, to be run over 366 metres, has been elevated to Group 2 status with an incredible $75,000 going to the winner.

Tira Mira will commence from the five alley on Sunday but Houston says the draw does not matter much for a bitch like her.

Last year’s Capalaba Cup consolation winner Fernando Grand was scratched on Friday morning after winning a heat in 19.55 seconds last Sunday.

The Houston and Sant kennel also have Go in for Sunday’s races at Capalaba.

Go will tackle the Bob Vernon Memorial event from the seven starting position.

Go is also a daughter of Kyella.

Houston says the Bob Vernon Memorial Final was a ‘very hard race for her’ but believes she will give it her all.